“I believe I rank the Secretary of War in this matter,” remarked Grant.
“Very well, we will see the President,” sharply responded the Secretary.
“That’s right; he ranks us both.”
Going to the President, Secretary Stanton, turning to Grant, said:
“General, state your case.”
But the General calmly replied:
“I have no case to state. I am satisfied as it is.”
When Stanton had given his view of the matter, Lincoln crossed his legs, leaned back in his chair, and like the wise philosopher that he was, said:
“Now, Mr. Secretary, you know we have been trying to manage this army for nearly three years, and you know we haven’t done much with it. We sent over the mountains and brought Mr. Grant, as Mrs. Grant calls him, to manage it for us, and now I guess we’d better let Mr. Grant have his own way.”
The winter of 1863 was a trying time for General Grant. It was a winter of floods in the South, and a winter of discontent among the people of the North. He could not move his army, and many began the old cry after Donelson, “idle, incompetent, and unfit to command in an emergency,” and again arose a clamor for his removal. It was a season of false alarm and sensational rumors.